IFPO 400 1920 Unknown Handstamp

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi All

OHMS Cover to George King from IFPO 400 28th December 1920 with what appears to be an unrecorded Hand-stamp, 

CERTIFIED OFFICIAL. O,C.  A.P. & S.D. signed Whitworth.

Any clues as to what this means appreciated.

Chris

[Chris Grimshaw]

Further thoughts on this one,

Officer Commanding, Army Post & Signal Department.  Possibly a internal hand-stamp.

Anyone offer anything else.

George King covers have to be treated with caution as he often had "manufactured" many items when writing to the various Army Offices.

Chris

[Michael Dobbs]

Chris

To me S.D. indicates Staff Duties - but I cannot think what A.P. would stand for.  Staff Duties are found at higher command level, so I may be completely wrong.

Regards, Mike

[akennedy]

I would agree with Chris that Army Posts and Signals Department is the most likely interpretation. This was not one of George's manufactured covers, but a reply to a query raised by him, or posibly fulfillment of an order for IEF stamps - except that if it wwas that the envelope would probably have been set registered.

Alistair

[Graham Mark]

How about "Army Printing and Stationery Depot"  (or Department).  We know there was an Army Printing unit is Salonika during the war and AP&SD appears as the imprint on eg Censor labels.
Regards to all
Graham

[Michael Dobbs]

Graham - thank you - I like your interpretation much, much better !

There is a reference to such a unit in The National Archives - War Diary: WO 95/4948 1916 Feb. - 1919 Oct. Army Printing and Stationery Depot.

There are references to HQ Army Printing & Stationery Services in Italy and Salonika and also to an Army Printing and Stationery Depot in Le Havre on the Western Front.

Graham: I think you can got it right.

Mike  :D

[Graham Mark]

Coming back to this one, I have looked at the signature.
Could be FR Whitworth, or JR or TR.  Neither of first two in Oct 1918 Army List
but TR Whitworth is there - Supplementary Officer, 2nd Lt RGA 27 May 17.
As expected he is not in 1925 Army List.
Chris you can look him up in the medal rolls, I expect, for a full name
Graham

[akennedy]

Agreed, Graham. I overlooked the obvious!
Alistair

[Chris Grimshaw]

Graham / Alistair

Thanks for your input, will research Whitworth and see what I come up with.

Cheers

Chris